Showing 13-24 of 37 total

Belgic Confession

Article 12 – The Creation of All Things
Article 13 – The Providence of God and His Government of All Things
Article 14 – The Creation and Fall of Man, and His Incapacity to Perform What Is Truly Good
Article 15 – The Doctrine of Original Sin
Article 16 – The Doctrine of Election
Article 17 – The Recovery of Fallen Man
Article 18 – The Incarnation
Article 19 – The Two Natures of Christ
Article 20 – The Justice and Mercy of God in Christ
Article 21 – The Satisfaction of Christ, Our Only High Priest, for Us
Article 22 – Our Justification Through Faith in Jesus Christ
Article 23 – Wherein Our Justification Before God Consists

Article 12 – The Creation of All Things

We believe that the Father, when it seemed good to him, created heaven and earth and all other creatures
from nothing, by the Word—

that is to say, by the Son.

God has given all creatures their being, form, and appearance and their various functions

for serving their Creator.

Even now God also sustains and governs them all, according to his eternal providence and by his infinite power,

that they may serve humanity, in order that humanity may serve God.

God has also created the angels good, that they might be messengers of God and serve the elect.

Some of them have fallen

from the excellence in which God created them into eternal perdition; and the others have persisted and remained

in their original state, by the grace of God.

The devils and evil spirits are so corrupt that they are enemies of God and of everything good.
They lie in wait for the church and every member of it like thieves,

with all their power, to destroy and spoil everything

by their deceptions.

So then, by their own wickedness they are condemned to everlasting damnation,

daily awaiting their torments.

For that reason we detest the error of the Sadducees, who deny that there are spirits and angels,

and also the error of the Manicheans, who say that the devils originated by themselves, being evil by nature, without having been corrupted.

Article 13 – The Providence of God and His Government of All Things

We believe that the same good God, after He had created all things, did not forsake them or give them up to fortune or chance, but that He rules and governs them according to His holy will, so that nothing happens in this world without His appointment; nevertheless, God neither is the Author of nor can be charged with the sins which are committed. For His power and goodness are so great and incomprehensible that He orders and executes His work in the most excellent and just manner, even then when devils and wicked men act unjustly. And as to what He does surpassing human understanding, we will not curiously inquire into farther than our capacity will admit of; but with the greatest humility and reverence adore the righteous judgments of God, which are hid from us, contenting ourselves that we are pupils of Christ, to learn only those things which He has revealed to us in His Word, without transgressing these limits.

This doctrine affords us unspeakable consolation, since we are taught thereby that nothing can befall us by chance, but by the direction of our most gracious and heavenly Father; who watches over us with a paternal care, keeping all creatures so under His power that not a hair of our head (for they are all numbered), nor a sparrow can fall to the ground without the will of our Father, in whom we do entirely trust; being persuaded that He so restrains the devil and all our enemies that without His will and permission they cannot hurt us.

And therefore we reject that damnable error of the Epicureans, who say that God regards nothing but leaves all things to chance.

Article 14 – The Creation and Fall of Man, and His Incapacity to Perform What Is Truly Good

Article 14 – The Creation and Fall of Man, and His Incapacity to Perform What Is Truly Good
We believe that God created man out of the dust of the earth, and made and formed him after His own image and likeness, good, righteous, and holy, capable in all things to will agreeably to the will of God. But being in honour, he understood it not, neither knew his excellency, but wilfully subjected himself to sin and consequently to death and the curse, giving ear to the words of the devil. For the commandment of life, which he had received, he transgressed; and by sin separated himself from God, who was his true life; having corrupted his whole nature; whereby he made himself liable to corporal and spiritual death. And being thus become wicked, perverse, and corrupt in all his ways, he has lost all his excellent gifts which he had received from God, and retained only small remains thereof, which, however, are sufficient to leave man without excuse; for all the light which is in us is changed into darkness, as the Scriptures teach us, saying: The light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness apprehended it not; where St. John calls men darkness.

Therefore we reject all that is taught repugnant to this concerning the free will of man, since man is but a slave to sin, and can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven. For who may presume to boast that he of himself can do any good, since Christ says: No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him?Who will glory in his own will, who understands that the mind of the flesh is enmity against God? Who can speak of his knowledge, since the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God? In short, who dares suggest any thought, since he knows that we are not sufficient of ourselves to account anything as of ourselves, but that our sufficiency is of God? And therefore what the apostle says ought justly to be held sure and firm, that God worketh in us both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. For there is no understanding nor will conformable to the divine understanding and will but what Christ has wrought in man; which He teaches us, when He says: Apart from me ye can do nothing.

Genesis 1:3,7,26,31; Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:6,17,19; Psalm 49:21; Psalm 94:11; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Isaiah 26:12; Isaiah 59:2; Matthew 6:23; John 1:5; John 3:27; John 6:44,65; John 8:34; John 15:5; Acts 14:16,17; Acts 17:27; Romans 1:20,21; Romans 3:10; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 4:18,24; Romans 6:17; Romans 7:5,17; Romans 8:7; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 3:5; Ephesians 5:8; Philippians 2:13.

Article 15 – The Doctrine of Original Sin

Article 15: The Doctrine of Original Sin
We believe that by the disobedience of Adam original sin has been spread
through the whole human race. 30
It is a corruption of the whole human nature—
an inherited depravity which even infects small infants in their mother’s womb, and the root which produces in humanity every sort of sin.
It is therefore so vile and enormous in God’s sight that it is enough to condemn the human race, and it is not abolished or wholly uprooted even by baptism,
seeing that sin constantly boils forth as though from a contaminated spring.
Nevertheless, it is not imputed to God’s children for their condemnation but is forgiven
by his grace and mercy— not to put them to sleep but so that the awareness of this corruption might often make believers groan as they long to be set free from the body of this death. 31
Therefore we reject the error of the Pelagians
who say that this sin is nothing else than a matter of imitation.
30 Rom. 5:12-13
31 Rom. 7:24

Article 16 – The Doctrine of Election

We believe that—

all Adam’s descendants having thus fallen
into perdition and ruin
by the sin of Adam—

God showed himself to be as he is:
merciful and just.

God is merciful
in withdrawing and saving from this perdition those who,

in the eternal and unchangeable divine counsel,

have been elected and chosen in Jesus Christ our Lord

by his pure goodness,
without any consideration of their works.

God is just
in leaving the others in their ruin and fall
into which they plunged themselves.

Article 17 – The Recovery of Fallen Man

We believe that our most gracious God, in His admirable wisdom and goodness, seeing that man had thus thrown himself into physical and spiritual death and made himself wholly miserable, was pleased to seek and comfort him, when he trembling fled from His presence, promising him that He would give His Son (who would be born of a woman) to bruise the head of the serpent and to make him blessed.

Article 18 – The Incarnation

So then we confess
that God fulfilled the promise

made to the early fathers and mothers
by the mouth of the holy prophets

when he sent the only and eternal Son of God
into the world
at the time appointed.

The Son took the “form of a slave”
and was made in “human form,”34

truly assuming a real human nature,
with all its weaknesses,
except for sin;
being conceived in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
without male participation.

And Christ not only assumed human nature

as far as the body is concerned

but also a real human soul,

in order to be a real human being.

For since the soul had been lost as well as the body,
Christ had to assume them both
to save them both together.

Therefore we confess

(against the heresy of the Anabaptists
who deny that Christ assumed
human flesh from his mother)

that Christ shared the very flesh and blood of children;35
being the fruit of the loins of David according to the flesh,36
descended from David according to the flesh;37
the fruit of the womb of the virgin Mary;38
born of a woman;39
the seed of David;40
the root of Jesse;41
descended from Judah,42

having descended from the Jews according to the flesh;

descended from Abraham—

having assumed descent from Abraham and Sarah,
and was made like his brothers and sisters,

yet without sin.43

In this way Christ is truly our Immanuel—

that is: “God with us.”44

34Phil. 2:7
35Heb. 2:14
36Acts 2:30
37Rom. 1:3
38Luke 1:42
39Gal. 4:4
402 Tim. 2:8
41Rom. 15:12
42Heb. 7:14
43Heb. 2:17; 4:15
44Matt. 1:23

Article 19 – The Two Natures of Christ

We believe that by being thus conceived
the person of the Son has been inseparably united
and joined together
with human nature,

in such a way that there are not two Sons of God,
nor two persons,
but two natures united in a single person,
with each nature retaining its own distinct properties.

Thus his divine nature has always remained uncreated,

without beginning of days or end of life,45
filling heaven and earth.

Christ’s human nature has not lost its properties
but continues to have those of a creature—

it has a beginning of days;
it is of a finite nature
and retains all that belongs to a real body.
And even though he,
by his resurrection,
gave it immortality,
that nonetheless did not change
the reality of his human nature;
for our salvation and resurrection
depend also on the reality of his body.

But these two natures
are so united together in one person
that they are not even separated by his death.

So then,
what he committed to his Father when he died
was a real human spirit which left his body.
But meanwhile his divine nature remained
united with his human nature

even when he was lying in the grave;

and his deity never ceased to be in him,

just as it was in him when he was a little child,
though for a while it did not so reveal itself.

These are the reasons why we confess him
to be true God and truly human—

true God in order to conquer death

by his power,

and truly human that he might die for us

in the weakness of his flesh.

45Heb. 7:3

Article 20 – The Justice and Mercy of God in Christ

We believe that God—

who is perfectly merciful
and also very just—

sent the Son to assume the nature
in which the disobedience had been committed,

in order to bear in it the punishment of sin
by his most bitter passion and death.

So God made known his justice toward his Son,

who was charged with our sin,

and he poured out his goodness and mercy on us,

who are guilty and worthy of damnation,

giving to us his Son to die,

by a most perfect love,

and raising him to life

for our justification,

in order that by him
we might have immortality
and eternal life.

Article 21 – The Satisfaction of Christ, Our Only High Priest, for Us

We believe that Jesus Christ is ordained with an oath to be an everlasting High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek; and that He has presented Himself in our behalf before the Father, to appease His wrath by His full satisfaction, by offering Himself on the tree of the cross, and pouring out His precious blood to purge away our sins, as the prophets had foretold. For it is written:
He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and numbered with the transgressors
; and condemned by Pontius Pilate as a malefactor, though he had first declared Him innocent. Therefore, He
restored that which he took not away, and
suffered, the righteous for the unrighteous, as well in His body as in His soul, feeling the terrible punishment which our sins had merited; insomuch that
his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.
He called out:
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
and has suffered all this for the remission of our sins.
Wherefore we justly say with the apostle Paul that we know nothing
save Jesus Christ, and him crucified; we count all things but loss and refuse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord, in whose wounds we find all manner of consolation. Neither is it necessary to seek or invent any other means of being reconciled to God than this only sacrifice, once offered, by which
he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. This is also the reason why He was called by the angel of God, JESUS, that is to say, SAVIOUR, because He would
save his people from their sins.

Article 22 – Our Justification Through Faith in Jesus Christ

We believe that, to attain the true knowledge of this great mystery, the Holy Spirit kindles in our hearts an upright faith, which embraces Jesus Christ with all His merits, appropriates Him, and seeks nothing more besides Him. For it must needs follow, either that all things which are requisite to our salvation are not in Jesus Christ, or if all things are in Him, that then those who possess Jesus Christ through faith have complete salvation in Him. Therefore, for any to assert that Christ is not sufficient, but that something more is required besides Him, would be too gross a blasphemy; for hence it would follow that Christ was but half a Saviour.

Therefore we justly say with Paul, that we are justified by faith alone, or by faith apart from works. However, to speak more clearly, we do not mean that faith itself justifies us, for it is only an instrument with which we embrace Christ our righteousness. But Jesus Christ, imputing to us all His merits, and so many holy works which He has done for us and in our stead, is our righteousness. And faith is an instrument that keeps us in communion with Him in all His benefits, which, when they become ours, are more than sufficient to acquit us of our sins.

Psalm 32:1,2; Psalm 51:13; Jeremiah 23:6; Jeremiah 31:10; Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:77; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:24,25,27; Romans 4:5; Romans 8:1,33; Romans 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Corinthians 2:2,12; Galatians 2:6,21; Ephesians 1:17,18; Ephesians 3:16,17; Philippians 3:9; 2 Timothy 1:2,9; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:4,5.

Article 23 – Wherein Our Justification Before God Consists

We believe that our salvation consists in the remission of our sins for Jesus Christ’s sake, and that therein our righteousness before God is implied; as David and Paul teach us, declaring this to be the blessedness of man that God imputes righteousness to him apart from works. And the same apostle says that we are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

And therefore we always hold fast this foundation, ascribing all the glory to God, humbling ourselves before Him, and acknowledging ourselves to be such as we really are, without presuming to trust in any thing in ourselves, or in any merit of ours, relying and resting upon the obedience of Christ crucified alone, which becomes ours when we believe in Him. This is sufficient to cover all our iniquities, and to give us confidence in approaching to God; freeing the conscience of fear, terror, and dread, without following the example of our first father, Adam, who, trembling, attempted to cover himself with fig-leaves. And, verily, if we should appear before God, relying on ourselves or on any other creature, though ever so little, we should, alas! be consumed. And therefore every one must pray with David: O Jehovah, enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight no man living is righteous.

Genesis 3:7; Deuteronomy 27:26; Psalm 32:1,2; Psalm 115:1; Psalm 130:3; Psalm 143:2; Isaiah 33:14; Matthew 18:23-26; Luke 1:77; Luke 16:15; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:23,24; Romans 4:2,6,7; Romans 5:1,19; 1 Corinthians 4:7; 1 Corinthians 1:29,31; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Ephesians 2:8; Ephesians 3:12; Colossians 1:14; 1 Timothy 2:6; Hebrews 11:6,7; James 2:10; 1 John 2:1.